Social Security Appeal Authority

The Social Security Appeal Authority hears appeals made by beneficiaries about their benefits.

The Social Security Appeal Authority hears appeals made by beneficiaries about their benefits. In particular, it considers appeals against:

Decisions made by the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Social Development that have been confirmed or varied by a Benefits Review Committee

Decisions made by the Secretary for War Pensions in respect of Veterans' pensions and related matters.

Appeals to the Authority are by way of a rehearing. The Authority examines all the evidence available and makes its own decision about the case before it.

Important Notice: The Social Security Appeal Authority is now the appeal authority for appealable decisions by Work and Income about social housing.

If you are a tenant or prospective tenant of Housing New Zealand or a registered Community Housing Provider, you are entitled to appeal decisions related to:

Calculation of Income-Related Rent

Establishment and recovery of Income-Related Rent debt

Eligibility of prospective tenants for social housing

The housing needs of a prospective tenant

The results of a review of continued eligibility for social housing and housing need

The only exceptions to this are appeals lodged with the State Housing Appeal Authority prior to 14 April 2014 and appeals about Income-Related Rent debt established by Housing New Zealand Corporation prior to 14 April 2014. If you’re appealing your Income-Related Subsidy debt that was established before 14 April 2014, you will need to lodge your appeal with the State Housing Appeal Authority.

Before you can appeal to the Social Security Appeal Authority, you must have had your case heard by the Benefits Review Committee.

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